The present invention relates to a heat exchanger comprised of individual plates for guiding media in counterflow and parallel flow.
Such heat exchangers are well known in the art and are comprised of form-stamped individual plates that are connected to form pairs which provide a first flow channel for a first medium. The pairs are connected to a pair stack thereby forming a second flow channel for the second medium. The inlets and outlets of each flow channels in the main direction of flow are diagonally oppositely arranged relative to one another. The inlets and outlets of the flow channels for the two media are arranged adjacent to one another, but are staggered by half the height of the pairs.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a heat exchanger of the aforementioned kind which is of a space-saving and compact construction and provides for a complete separation of the two media participating in the heat exchange while ensuring a low-loss pressure guidance of the media. It is another object of the present invention to provide identical modules for individually adapting the size of the heat exchanging surfaces and selecting suitable materials to fit a particular application, which modules allow for an easy access for maintenance purposes as well as a simple module exchange for repair purposes.